The only potential problem with "set and forget" is that any leaks in your system will result in empty Co2 bottler, nothing sucks worse! So be sure you test your corny keg seals and use plumber's tape on all hose fitting and regulator connections to ensure leak-free set up. I have found that I am far too paranoid to leave my gas on unattended for that long, but that's just me.

"RickBeer" post=385643 said:Sanitize the bottles. Pour into a pot. Bottle, wash LBK, dump pot full of sanitizer in.
Sorry kinda confused, I was just asking if there was an alternative to the santi that comes with the kit.

With 4 gal in a 5 gal corny you will have quite a bit of headspace and definitely need to purge it. Just hit it with 15 lbs or so of gas, do a quick one second pull on the corny bleeder valve, and repeat 5 or 6 times. That will purge out the headspace. You may consider picking up a smaller 3 gal corny for your smaller batches.

Forced carbing is a function on temperature and pressure. Check out chart at this site and you will see what I mean. http://www.iancrockett.com/brewing/info/forcecarb.shtml Beyond that I have found that natural carbing in the keg produces tighter bubbles and thus a better head and head retention. So I'd recommend batch priming in your keg then set it aside at room temp for two weeks to carb up, then chill and serve. You can always add more co2 if necessary.

8teen: you sound like a lager guy. I was exclusively a lager guy (pre home-brewing) but had to learn to like ales when I first got into home brewing for the reasons people have cited. Now that I've been doing this a while and have the equipment to control temps for lager fermenting, lagers are mostly all I brew. Take the plunge - all you need is a second hand frig and a Johnson temp controller available at any online brew supply store. You'll be making delicious pilsners in no time!

"Gman30" post=383538 said:hello im new to brewing have the CAL conditioning atm and thinking bout my next batch has anyone ever tried to make a beer that has a similer taste as blue moon also ill note my local brew store carries briess brand lme and dme hoping to use something from there :popbeer: Nope. No one the history of this forum has ever tried that. LOL Search results posted below should point you in the right direction.

I have been saving brown plastic rootbeer bottles. Can find them cheap with free rootbeer of course and in all sizes. My favorite is A&W 16oz bottles but I do have Dad's 1 liter bottles as well. Only reason I haven't bothered with glass is because I don't have a capper and when I tried swing tops they did not carb well.

Thanks and probably just newbie confusion! I just noticed the "ABV" scale when reading the FG, hovering near the top (which it should with a higher alcohol content) so I couldn't figure out its purpose. It didn't seem to provide any information, but makes sense you would read it when determining OG, and the reading would give you the "potential" ABV for the brew when fermentation was complete; glad I found this forum!

I recently started using a hydrometer (purchased from the Mr. Beer site) - also am using a refractometer to compare. I noticed on the hydrometer scale there is some sort of corresponding "ABV" scale, that runs from 0% at the top, to 20% or so at the bottom (nearest the weighted end). My question is - wouldn't the hydrometer float higher in a denser liquid (i.e., more sugar, less alcohol), so shouldn't the "ABV" scale be reversed (so when the hydrometer sinks, higher ABV at the top, lower at the bottom)? Forum expertise appreciated....